Kasungu to Lilongwe (130km)

MALAWI

Day 78 - Mar 31 - Stage 54

Friday: We depart Kasungu with the greatest of intentions to cycle the full distance to Lilongwe, but a mean headwind disrupts Judith's plans, while both a mechanical (a slit tyre) and a physical (gout in my right knee again) intervenes for me - forcing us both to only cycle the 76km to lunch and then to take the truck to Mabuya Backpackers Camp in Lilongwe.

Carlsberg Beer on the move

As we approach Lilongwe in the morning, the traffic increases and becomes more aggressive, Judith is forced off the road at one stage by a big truck, while on another occasion I nearly get knocked over by another one!

The number of Police/Traffic Police roadblocks increases  (at one stage I count three roadblocks within a 5km stretch of road). Stopping traffic in order to collect "payments" in lieu of being paid a monthly salary, seems to be prevalent in this part of Malawi.


We have a Coke Stop, Liz takes the opportunity to buy some french fries for us all, this just contributes to my ever developing Fish Bowl Syndrome - described yesterday - which seems to be getting worse!

Judith rides the last 20km to lunch with Leon the Sweep rider, the day's headwind forcing her to ride at a very slow pace. But we are not alone, a further 6 riders climb into the Lunch Truck with us.

After packing up at lunch, it's a free for all by the locals when we leave them the uneaten left over food, but it's a behavior I have come to expect from the Malawians. To be quite honest, I think it's just a true reflection of the attitude of their current politicians. 

Arrive at Camp to find Mark Heim has rejoined the Tour, he left us after breaking his wrist on the last day of riding in the Sudan, it's good to see him back.

We say goodbye to Anthony Butler, Charles's Dad who leaves us to go back to work, it was great meeting up with him and we hope to see him either in Prince Albert or at his house in Cape St Francis in South Africa in the foreseeable future.


Cheers,
Mike T

Leaving Kasungu on the way to Lilongwe

Feeling major Fish Bowl Syndrome vibes at the Coke Stop

Fetching our Daily & Permanent Bags at Mabuya Backpackers' Lodge

Riders enjoying a cold beer after a tricky ride into Lilongwe

Nelson (on the left) talking to his friend Mark who rejoined us in Lilongwe after his fall in Sudan

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TDA: Final Preparations

Our departure from OR Tambo Airport on the Egypt-air flight to Cairo is rapidly approaching, with final preparations made both in Prince Albert and up in Johannesburg. 

These included... Dropping our dogs, Blake and Mercutio off at the long-term boarding Kennels in Oudtshoorn. Travelling to George for our final inoculation booster injections, collection of our passports with the required visas for Egypt and Sudan, and the collection of foreign currency at the Bank.

Boxed bikes - Departing for Cairo

Our dogs in Prince Albert wondering where we're off to...

Our good friends from PASOC (Prince Albert Sonder Onderbroek Club) who assisted us greatly with our cycle training preparations throughout 2016, gave us a farewell braai and wished us well on our African adventure.

The Mons family, were of major assistance, helping us to pack up the house (defrosting fridges, moving of outside furniture, relocation of pot plants, etc) prior to our departure. They then departed for Johannesburg after their holiday in Prince Albert, on the same day as us.

Having packed up our kit and bikes and left Prince Albert, the road trip from the Karoo to Johannesburg was uneventful.  Although the road was extremely busy, traffic was free flowing and the majority of drivers were patient and courteous.

Over the weekend in Johannesburg, we had a farewell breakfast with the Niemans and Rosensteins, lunch with the Ferreiras, afternoon tea with Mary-Jean & Mike, followed by a quick visit to Mark, Jo-Ann and Grandchildren who had just returned from their trip to Thailand, said our goodbyes to Judith's mother, and finally had dinner with our "Train Buddies".


Last minute shopping for outstanding bike spares and accessories, medicines and supplements was done rather hastily, but successfully completed.

We finally finished the packing of our kit, to ensure it made the required weight restrictions (we are allowed two 90-liter bags of 23 kg each) and the boxing of our bikes for their transport to Cairo.

Our thanks go to Dave, Heather and Sam who hosted us at their home during our brief stay-over in Joburg,  before catching our Egypt-air flight out to Cairo - their hospitality was greatly appreciated.

Cheers

Mike T

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My Gap Year | 2016

At the end of 2015, after 39 years in the Mining Industry, I decided to take my well-earned Retirement.

My last Employer was Randgold Resources, for whom I had worked as an expatriate Geotechnical Engineer for approximately 4 ½ years, at their Kibali Gold Project in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). There Randgold took a Project still in the Exploration Phase, to a fully fledged Gold Mine, producing 640 000 ounces of gold in its first full year of Production.

My last flight out of Doko International Airport in the DRC
en route to Entebbe in Uganda on my way back to South Africa

Kibali Gold Project

Although I must admit, at the moment I consider my status more one of “Regrouping” than that one of Retirement, as a consequence of which, my wife Judith and I decided to take a “Gap Year” while residing at our new house in Prince Albert, which is situated in the Groot Karoo, for the whole of 2016.

This Blog is a reflection of Judith’s and my Retirement/Regrouping escapades, so that family, friends and anyone else interested can keep up to date with what we have done, are currently doing, or what we are planning to do.

Remember, this humble blog should be taken tongue-in-cheek and not too seriously at all.
After all, “life is too short to worry about the little things”.

Cheers, Mike T